Global CO₂ emissions from power generation rose by a modest 1% in 2024, following a 1.4% rise in 2023, due to a 1.3% y-o-y increase in fossil fuel-based generation amid global electricity demand growth of 4.3%. At about 13 800 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024, emissions from electricity generation remain the highest of any sector.

In our 2025-2027 outlook period, global CO₂ emissions from the power sector are expected to stay relatively flat (-0.1%), due to substantial growth in clean energy sources, even as demand is forecast to grow by an annual average of 3.9%. It should be noted that economic shocks, volatile commodity prices and deviations from normal weather conditions such as heatwaves, extreme cold spells or low water availability for hydropower generation can cause the subsequent rate of emissions to vary in individual years. Nevertheless, the trend of clean energy sources limiting fossil-fuelled generation is anticipated to remain robust. 

Global emissions intensity from electricity generation is on a sharply contracting trend, with a record 3% reduction in 2024 compared to 1% in 2023. This improvement reflects the rapid growth in renewable energy and nuclear electricity production relative to rising demand. By 2027, emissions intensity is forecast to fall significantly in major regions, with reductions in the European Union, China, the United States, and India all contributing to the global trend. Over the forecast period of 2025-2027, global CO₂ intensity is expected to fall by an average of 3.6% annually, declining from 445 g CO₂/kWh in 2024 to 400 g CO₂/kWh in 2027.